Somalia – Consultations on the fight against piracy (Paris, May 31, 2013)

France has conducted, through its école nationale de la magistrature (French National School for the Judiciary), in collaboration with the UN Development Program and the United Arab Emirates, a training program for 32 Somali judges and lawyers. This training program, which is aimed at strengthening Somalia’s criminal justice response to acts of piracy, will conclude at the end of May.

On this occasion, consultations on the fight against piracy and on security and development in Somalia were held in Paris on May 31. A delegation of Somali judges, prosecutors and lawyers was received at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Somalia must take ownership of the fight against piracy and develop a comprehensive approach to security with respect to its maritime areas in order to be able, with the international community’s support, to try the perpetrators of acts of piracy itself. To that end, France and the EU are mobilized to help Somalia develop its maritime and judicial capacities.

France supports the European “EUCAP-NESTOR” mission, which, under the leadership of a French head of mission, Admiral Jacques Launay, should make it possible to put an end to impunity for pirates.